Automatic switch for electric car-lighting apparatus.



No. 654,325. Patented July 24,- I900. W. F. RICHARDS.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC CAR LIGHTING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Mar. 12, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheeis-Sheet 1,

Patented July 24, I900.

F. RICHARDS.

AUTQIAATIC SWITCH FBR ELECTRIC CAR LlfiHTiNG APPARATUS.

(Application file'd Mar. 12 1900) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Model.)

M/pwRve7%ar.

NITED STATES PATENT Orrron.

l/VILLARD F. RICHARDS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES M;GOULD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC CAR-LIGHTING APPARATUS.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,325, dated July 24,1900.

Application filed March 12,1900. Serial No. 8,385. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLARD F. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switches for ElectricOar-Lighting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the automatic switches which are employed inconnection with the electric car-lighting apparatus of railway-cars, andwhich consist of a reversible switch-lever which cooperates with twosets of contacts on the switchboard of the dynamo of the lightingapparatus, so that the lever connects the contacts of one set when thearmature-shaft of the dynamo runs in one direction and connects those ofthe other set when the shaft runs in the opposite direction. Automaticswitches of this kind are shown and described in Letters Patent of theUnited States No. 602,182, dated April 12, 1898, and No. 617,121, datedJanuary 3, 1899, both granted to E. J. Preston and A. B. Gill, to whichreferenceis made for a full description of such a switch. A switch ofthis kind having a governor similar to that herein shown is shown anddescribed in an application for patent filed by me June 5, 1899, SerialNo. 7l9,434. Inthis class of switches the oscillating switch-lever ismounted loosely on acarrying-sleeve which isfree to slide on thearmature-shaft,but which is compelled to turn therewith, so that uponstarting the dynamo the switch-lever is caused to turn in the samedirection as the armature-shaft by the frictional contact of the leverwith the shaft until the lever strikes a stop on the switchboard. Thisstop arrests the lever in the proper position to bring its contact-plugsin line with a set of opposing contact-sockets of the switchboardpreparatory to the forward movement of the lever produced by thecentrifugal governor which controls the sliding movement of the lever.As the switch-lever is loose on its carrying-sleeve, it is liable torebound or become displaced upon striking against one or the other ofits stops, and when this occurs the contact-plugs of the lever arethrown out of register with their companion sockets on the switchboardand do not properly enter the same when the lever is moved inwardly bythe spreading weights of the centrifugal governor.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a simple checkingdevice for the switch-lever which, while permitting the automaticreversing movements of the lever, exerts sufficient pressure upon thesame to hold it against displacement in either of its extreme positions,thereby insuring the proper entrance of its contact-plugs into-theopposing contact-sockets.

Another object of my invention is to improve the construction of thecontact-plugs carried by the switch-lever.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure 1 is aside elevation of the switch-lever and its governor, partly in section,showing the lever in its outer position, in which the friction pin orshoe open ates upon the same. Fig. 2 is a sectional ele vation of theparts, showing the friction-pin out of engagement with the switch-lever. Fig. 3 is a transverse section in line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4t is alongitudinal section in line 4. 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a fragmentarysectional elevation of the switch-lever and one of its contactrplugs,showing the position of the plug in the act of leaving theswitchboard-socket.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A is the armature-shaft of the dynamo.

B is the switch-lever, B, one of its contactplugs, and O the switchboardhaving the contact-sockets O, which receive the plugs B.

D is the sleeve mounted on the armatureshaft and carrying theswitch-lever. This sleeve is free to slide on the shaft for moving theswitch-lever toward and from the switchboard, and the lever is confinedagainst endwise movement on the sleeve by a flange d, formed at theinnerend thereof, and a collar (1, secured to its outer end.

E is the longitudinally-m ovable headof the centrifugal governor; F, theweighted elbowlevers, having their short arms connected with said headby links G, and H is the stationary collar or bracket, which is securedto the armature-shaft and to which said weighted lovers are pivoted insuch manner that the head is shifted inwardly by the outward movement ofthe weights and outwardly by the inward movement of the weights.

l represents longitudinal rods which connect the collar d of thecarrying-sleeve D with the sliding head E, so that the sleeve and theswitch-lever mounted thereon are compelled to move longitudinally withthe governorhead.

J is a friction pin or shoe arranged to slide in the collar d lengthwiseof the armatureshaft and adapted to hear at its inner end against theadjacent end of the hub of the switch-lever B, preferably through theintervention of a thin steel wear-plate 7t, loosely interposed betweensaid hub and the inner face of said collar, so as to retard theoscillating movement of the reversible switch-lever in swinging from oneextremity of its movement to the other. This friction-pin is provided atits inner end with a flat head j to increase its bearing-surface, andthe pin is guided loosely in an opening formed in the collar 61, asshown.

L is a yielding pressure rod or plunger, which is arranged in the collaror bracket H in line with the friction-pin J and against which theprojecting outer end of this pin abuts in the retracted or outermostposition of the switch-lever, as shown in Fig. 1, so that said plungerexerts a yielding pressure against the friction-pin and causes thelatter to force the wear-plate against the hub of the switch-lever. Thepressure-rod L slides in a socket 071, formed in the bracket H, parallelwith the armature-shaft, and is provided at its front or inner end witha head Z, while its rearend passes through an opening formed in theclosed rear end of said socket and is provided with nuts Z, forming astop which limits the inward movement of the pressurerod. n is a springsurrounding this rod between the head Z and the closed outer end of thesocket m and resisting the outward movement of said rod.

WVhen the dynamo is at rest, the weighted governor-levers F are in theirinnermost position, the sliding governor-head E is in its outermostposition, and the switch-lever is in its initial or retracted position,in which the collar (2 of the carrying-sleeve D bears against thebracket H, as shown in Fig. 1. In this position of the parts the outerend of the friction-pin J bears against the pressure-rod L, which latteroccupies its outer position, and the spring '11 of this rod iscompressed and exerts its pressure against the hub of the switch-leverthrough the friction-pin. lVhen the switch-lever is caused to turn withthe armature-shaft by the starting of the dynamo, the friction-pinretards or checks the rotary movement of said lever to such a degree asto prevent the same from rebounding from one or the other of the stopswhich determine its stroke,thereby preventing accidental displacement ofthe lever and holding the same in the proper position to insure theentrance of its contact-plugs into the opposing contact-sockets of theswitchboard. "When the sliding switch-lever is moved toward theswitchboard by the spreading of the governor-weights due to theincreasing speed of the dynamo, the friction-pin J recedes from andleaves the pressure-rod L, as shown in Fig. 2. In this position of thelever its contact-plugs are in engagement with the con tact-sockets ofthe switchboard,and no checking device is therefore required under theseconditions.

The contact-plugs B of the switclrlever are preferably capable of arotary or swiveling movement on the lever, so that they can accommodatethemselves to any imperfections or irregularities of theswitchboard-sockets, as described and shown in my pending applicationfor patent hereinbefore referred to.

0 is the rearward ly-extending stud of the contact-plug, which isjournaled in an opening of the switch-lever and which is also capable ofsliding lengthwise in said opening.

19 is a spring applied to the projecting portion of the stud o andtending to hold the plug against the front side of the switch-la ver.This spring bears at its front end against the rear side of theswitch-lever and at its opposite end against a flange a, formed on theouter end of a stop-sleeve R, which surrounds the projecting portion ofthe stud. This stopsleeve abuts at its outer end against a pin or cotterr, passing through the stud o. The head of the contact-plug B is seatedin a longitudinal groove or depression .5, formed in the front side ofthe switch-lever and made somewhat wider than said head, so as to permitthe plug to turn or swivel to a limited extent.

Heretofore the cotter *1" has been arranged to bear directly against therear side of the switch-lever. In case of any imperfection in the studof the plug or the opening in which it turns the stud is liable eitherto be held too tightly by the cotter and bind or to fit too loosely andwabble on the lever. By lengthening the stud of the plug and interposingthe spring 19 between the cotter r and the switch-lever the cottercannot cause binding of the stud, while the spring, which is undertension at all times, draws the plug against the lever and holds it inits proper position. hen the switch-lever is retracted and thecontact-plug is withdrawn from the contactsocket of the switchboard, thelever slides on the stud of the plug and further compresses its springuntil the lever comes in contact with the inner end of the stop-sleeveR, as shown in Fig. 5,when the lever positively withdraws the plug fromits socket. tVhen the sliding switchlever thus recedes from theswitchboard, the stop-sleeve R relieves the spring and prevents theentire withdrawal of the contact-plugfrom the groove 5 of theswitch-lever. For this purpose this sleeve is made of such a length thaton the normal position of the parts shown in Fig. 2 the distance betweenthe inner end of the stop'sleeve and the rear side of the switch -leveris less than the depth of the groove.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with the armature-shaft of adynamo, of'an oscillating switch-lever mounted on said shaft and capableof sliding lengthwise thereof, a centrifugal governor mounted on thedynamo-shaft and connected with said switch-lever, and a frictionalchecking device arranged to retard the oscillating movements of saidswitch-lever, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the armature-shaft of a dynamo, of a reversibleswitch-lever mounted on said shaft and capable of acombined sliding andoscillating movement, a friction-pin carried by said switchlever andadapted to press against the same for checking its oscillating movement,and a yielding pressure-rod carried by the armature-shaft and arrangedin line with said friction-pin, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the armature-shaft of a dynamo, of acarrying-sleeve mounted on said shaft and provided at its outer end witha collar vor flange, a reversible switchlever mounted'on said sleeve, alongitudinal friction-pin guided in said collar and adapted to pressagainst said switch-lever for checking its oscillating movement, acentrifugal governor having weighted levers and connected with saidcarrying-sleeve, a bracket carrying said weighted levers and secured tothe armature-shaft, and provided with a 1ongitudinal socket which isarranged in line with said friction-pin, a pressure-rod guided in saidsocket, and a spring surrounding said pressure-rod and resisting theoutward movement thereof, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a contact-socket,of a switch-lever carrying acontact-plug which is adapted to enter said socket and which is providedwith a rearwardly-extending stud capable of sliding in an opening ofsaid lever, and a spring applied to said stud and tending to hold theplug against the lever, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a switch-lever, provided in its front side witha groove, of a swiveling contact-plug having its head seated in saidgroove and provided with a rearwardlyextending stud whichisjournaled inan opening of said lever, a stop-sleeve applied to said stud on the rearside of the switch-lever and permitting a limited sliding movement ofthe stud in its opening, and a spring surrounding the stud and saidsleeve and resisting the forward movement of the stud, substantially asset forth.

Witness my hand this 3d day of March, 1900.

WILLARD F. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

JNo. J. BONNER, CLAUDIA M. BENTLEY.

